Ending is Just a New Beginning
by AnnCarter
Summary: He doesn't know why he ran into her, of all people; why he ended up in the shop where she worked; and how he ended up asking her to come with him, but it doesn't matter. Somehow, the Doctor and Rose connected, and that's the only thing that matters to him. Set in the end of 1x02, The End of the World.


_All rights to Doctor Who are the BBC's. I own nothing._

 **AN:** I love you, Russell T Davies. Please come back!

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Ending is Just a New Beginning

He found her in one of the observation decks, looking at the rocks that used to be the Earth. He could feel the pain radiating from here even without looking at her; could almost see the tears in her eyes as she stood with her back to him. He understood how she felt, probably better than she could understand.

He knew she heard him come in, but she didn't react to his presence in any way. Leaning against the doorframe, he studied her silently, not saying a thing, knowing she needed her time to process everything that's happened. Eventually, though, he walked inside, until he stopped next to her.

"The end of the Earth," She said when he did, her voice quiet and somber. "It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves; no one saw it go." Even the way she stood, the way she looked at what used to be her home, showed her pain. "All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just..."

Softness in his eyes, he reached out to her. "Come with me," He said quietly. She turned to look at him, taking his hand with hers. Even that simple gesture seemed to bring her some comfort, and he was happy to see it. She deserved it. As soon as she took his hand, he pulled her away. No good would come from standing there and watching; he knew it all too well. She needed something else.

As he started walking back to the Tardis, she finally began following him. He felt her slowing down as she looked back, taking one last look of the future, before catching up with him. She didn't speak as they entered the Tardis and as he set the time coordinates, but just kept looking forward, her eyes red and her expression grieving.

When they landed, he nodded towards the door. She hesitated for a short moment, looking at the door, before slowly opening it and walking outside. He gave her a minute or so, just a moment to get used to the fact she was back home, before following her into the busy street.

She stood a few steps away from the Tardis, still staring forward. Being back on Earth, with all those people, shops and life — it needed readjustment. He could understand her; she _did_ just watch it all burn, after all. She just watched her world dying, and yet here it was, still busy and full of life. Just like she knew it.

"You think it'll last forever," He said quietly, also looking forward, "People and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky." She looked up at the sky, mimicking his movement, but in his mind, he didn't see the Earth sky. He saw the burning of Gallifrey, over and over again. The orange sky he'll never see again. The Time Lords he'll never meet again. "My planet's gone," He said quietly eventually, looking back forward at the crowd. From the corner of his eye he could see Rose turning to look at him. "It's dead." Turning to look at her, he added, "It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust. Before its time." The look in his eyes became haunted as he witnessed the Time War over and over again.

"What happened?"

"There was a war and we lost." His voice was quiet and serious, filled with the pain he never wanted to feel again. And yet here he was, telling her everything, the way he never thought he'd do. But she knew; he saw it in her eyes. She knew how he felt.

"A war with who?" She asked quietly, compassion in her voice. He didn't reply; he was too far into his past to notice. "What about your people?" She continued. He could hear it in her voice; see it in her eyes just how much she wanted to help him. Somehow, she knew how painful it was for him.

He turned his head slightly to look at her again. "I'm a Time Lord. The last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor." _Even though I wish I wasn't_. "I'm left traveling on my own cos there's no one else."

She looked at him silently for a moment before saying softly, "There's me."

He met her gaze once again. Her eyes were filled with softness and understanding and something deeper than that; even though they barely knew each other, she _cared_ for him, just like he cared for her. Somehow, they connected to each other in a way he never thought he'd experience again. In that moment, he was grateful for her presence, grateful for whatever fate it was that made him come to the shop where she worked.

But there was more to it than emotions. He knew she wanted to be there, wanted to come with him; but there was more to it than simply wanting to come. He had to make sure that she still wanted to come, even after she saw how dangerous it was; even knowing she might die. "You've seen how dangerous it is," He said seriously. "Do you want to go home?"

She looked at him silently, and in her eyes he could see the answer. She knew how dangerous it was; how painful it could be; but she wasn't ready to give up. She was scared — just like him, even though he'd never admit it — but deep down, she knew she wouldn't want to let go of this opportunity. "I don't know," She replied eventually, still looking at him with that mixture of emotions in her eyes. "I want..." She turned silent for a moment before looking around and suddenly asking, "Do you smell chips?"

He smiled as he smelled it. "Yeah. Yeah," He added, laughing a little as he nodded slightly.

"I want chips."

"Me too," He agreed, still grinning.

"Right then," She said, her voice lighter, "Before you get me back in that box," _She's staying,_ He couldn't help but think as a surge of happiness ran through him, "Chips it is. And you can pay."

He shrugged slightly. "No money."

She smiled. "What sort of date are you?" She teased. "Come on then, tightwad, chips are on me." He grinned at her, unable to stop himself. "We've only got five billion years till the shops close."

He looked at her, at the way she smiled, her tongue peeking out between her teeth and her eyes sparkling, and couldn't help but smile back at her. Their hands found each other as they walked, Rose occasionally pressing herself against him as she laughed at something he said. _She's staying,_ He kept thinking, grinning at her. _She's staying_. And maybe, just maybe, with Rose there, there was a chance that things would actually be alright.


End file.
